Shade roller

ABSTRACT

A window shade roller assembly including a shade roller fabricated of laminated paper and an end unit of molded construction to be received in the roller and having provisions for adjusting the length of the assembly. The dimensions and configuration of the roller assembly enable it to be used in conjunction with standard window shade cutting machines.

United States Patent [191 Stark 1541 SHADE ROLLER [76] lnventor: MartinH. Stark, 1301 Wheeler,

Saginaw, Mich.

[22] Filed: Dec. 15, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 885,065

[52] [1.5. CI ..160/326, 160/323, 29/200 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A47h 1/13[58] Field of Search ..29/407, 95, 200; 160/326, 323,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 320,247 6/1885 Hartshom..l60/325 1 Mar. 27, 1973 3,362,461 1/1968 Stark ..l60/323 PrimaryExaminer-Richard J. Herbst Assistant ExaminerVictor A. DiPalmaAttorney-Cullen, Settle, Sloman & Cantor [57] ABSTRACT A window shaderoller assembly including a shade roller fabricated of laminated paperand an end unit of molded construction to be received in the roller andhaving provisions for adjusting the length of the assembly. Thedimensions and configuration of the roller assembly enable it to be usedin conjunction with standard window shade cutting machines.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEflmzmva 3,722,573

sum 10F 2 INVENTOR.

MARTIN H. STARK.

CULLEN, SETTLE, MAN 8 CANTOR.

ATT' YS.

. PATENTEDHARZ! 1973- SHEET 2 OF 2 INVEXTOR.

MARTIN H. STARK.

SHADE ROLLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to window shade roller assemblies and moreparticularly to shade rollers fabricated of laminated paper and endplugs especially adapted for use with such rollers and standard windowshade cutting machines.

The invention is especially directed to window shade roller assemblieswherein the roller element of the assembly is a wound paper tube ofmultiple plies (either convolutely or spirally wound) and the plies ofwhich are adhesively bonded to one another. Rollers possessing thenecessary structural rigidity can be conveniently formed utilizingtechniques well known in the paper tube making art.

2. The Prior Art In the usual case, window shade rollers are made ofwood. They are manufactured in a number of standard lengths. Because ofminor variations in window dimensions, it is frequently necessary totrim a standard length roller to fit a window frame in which it is to beused. The rollers are conventionally sold with a space cap and torsionspring mounted in one end, and at the other end an end cap, throughwhich a round pivot or gudgeon pin is driven into the roller.- To trimthe roller to length, the end cap and pivot pin are removed and trimmingis done at that end of the roller.

Special window shade cutting machines have been developed for thispurpose. In a typical operation, the roller is inserted in the machine,a chuck grips the pivot pin, and the chuck is then retracted, removingthe pin and end cap from the end of the roller. The roller is thenremoved from the first position and positioned on another part of themachine where the shade and the end of the roller are trimmed. Theroller is then placed back in the first position and the gudgeon pin andend cap replaced, after which the chuck is released from the gudgeonpin.

THE PROBLEM The machines customarily used for cutting window shades aredesigned for use with wooden rollers having gudgeon pins. Any acceptablesubstitute roller assembly must be adapted for use with theseconventional window shade cutting machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A window shade roller is provided which isformed of laminated paper with a hollow interior for receiving an endcap. If desired, a composite, partially wooden roller can be providedwithin the scope of this invention. However, such composite rollers havethe plug end (i.e., that end trimmed to length) formed of paper.Typically, the internal diameter of the roller is about two-thirds of aninch and the external diameter is about I inch. Preferably the end capor plug is a molded one piece plastic article having a circular flangewith a diameter somewhat less than three-fourths of an inch and a rollersupport pin fixed in a bore in the flange against movement relativethereto and projecting from one side thereof to form the sole supportbeyond the flange. A reduced diameter plug portion is formed on theother side of the flange, and is received for axial adjustment withinthe interior of the roller. The plug portion is threaded on the outside,and the threads are of a dimension to deform the inner periphery of theshade roller to lock the end cap against rotation relative to the shaderoller at a selected position of axial adjustment.

The configuration and size of the end cap or plug are such that theassembly can be used with a conventional window shade cutting machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a window shaderoller assembly employing a paper roller having a pivot pin carrying endcap or plug which is adapted for use with a standard window shadecutting machine.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following specification and to the drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, with parts in phantom of the embodiment of FIG. 1in an assembled position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a standard window shade cutting machine;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the end cap removing portion of thestandard shade cutting machine; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through line 77 of FIG. 6.

The window shade roller assembly 10 of this invention is shown inFIG. 1. The assembly 10 comprises a window shade roller 12 which is anelongated hollow cylindrical tube, preferably formed from a convolutelywound sheet of paper, the convolutions of which are adhesively bonded toeach other.

The assembly 10 has an end cap 14 or plug for the roller formed of amolded plastic or metal material. The end cap 14 has a circular flange16 greater than the internal diameter of the tube 12 and smaller thanthe outside diameter of the tube. integrally molded with the flange onone side thereof is a section of reduced diameter 18 generallyelliptical in shape to provide opposed parallel flat sides 20 adaptedfor receiving a wrench or other turning device, for axial adjustment ofthe cap 14. An axially extending tubular plug portion 22 projects fromthe opposite side of the flange. Spiral screw threads 24 are molded intothe surface of the plug portion 22; these threads 24 may either becontinuous or interrupted. The threads grip and deform the inside wallof the roller 12 when the cap is inserted in the end of the roller. Thethread diameter dimension is such that the thread will fit properlywithin the roller member 12 and prevent the cap 14 from accidentallyturning in the roller. If the thread diameter is oversized, the cap 14will be too difflcult to force in the roller 12, while an undersizedthread will allow the cap 14 to turn too freely relative to the roller12, an undersirable situation.

The use of interrupted threads allows the plug 14 to be inserted moreeasily into the roller 12, because there is less thread to grip theinside wall of the roller 12, and less axial alignment problems arepresented.

The cap 14 has a center bore extending through the section of reduceddiameter 18 and flange 16. A gudgeon pin 28 is inserted in the centerbore. The pin 28 has an outwardly projecting flange 30 which abuts theend of the section of reduced diameter 18, limiting the extent ofpenetration of the pin 28 into the cap 14. The bore 26 diameter iscritical in that the pin 28 will split the plastic when it is insertedin the bore 26 if the bore is smaller, whereas if the bore is any largerthe pin 28 will be pulled out, rather than the entire cap 14, when thepin 28 is grasped in the chuck of the cutting machine and the chuckretracted, as subsequently described herein. The pin 28 is adapted toenter the circular hole of the usual window shade roller mountingbracket (not shown) for rotatably supporting one side of the windowshade roller.

The window shade roller assembly of this invention is adapted for use inconjunction with a conventional window shade cutting machine. Such awindow shade cutting machine is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

This machine 32 comprises a support base 34 having an elongated supportand measuring bed 36 for a window shade roller extending therefrom. Thesupport bed 36 has an adjustable clamping device 38 mounted on it forreceiving one end (the end containing the spring) of a window shade. Ahousing 40 having a beveled mouth 42 and an internal bore 44 is mountedon the support base 34 for receiving the opposite end of the windowshade. The diameter of the bore 44 is conventionally 0.750 inch. Anadjustable chuck 46 is mounted inside a cylinder 48 in the housing andis used to grip the pivot pin 28. The chuck 6 is axially movable withinthe bore 44 of the housing 40 by means of a handle 50 having threads(not shown) engageable with threads on the bottom of the cylinder 48.Thus, the chuck 46 and cylinder 48 move axially as one piece. A handle52 connected to the chuck 46 is used to adjust the chuck opening.

in operation, a window shade assembly is mounted between the clamp 38and the mouth 42 of the housing 40. The chuck is then moved forward inthe bore 44 and clamped around the gudgeon pin 28. The chuck 46 is thenretracted by means of the handle 50, bringing the end face of the roller12 into contact with the mouth 42, halting the roller 12 against it.Further retraction of the chuck 46 into the bore 44 draws the end cap 14out of the roller 12 and into the bore 44. The roller 12 is then removedand cut to the desired length on another part of the apparatus, notspecifically described. Thereafter it is reclamped between the clamp 38and the mouth 42 of the housing 40, the

chuck 46 moved forward, and the end cap 14 reinserted into the end ofthe roller 12. Thereafter the chuck 46 is disengaged from the pin.

The diameter of the flange 16 of the end plug 14 is critical since, ifit were too large, it would not retract into the bore 44 in the housingon the window shade cutting machine. Conversely, if the flange 16 wereto small, it would slide into the internal cavity of the roller 12.Thus, the cap 14 would not be properly positioned on the roller 12.

A shade cutter such as has been described above is sold by the StarShade Cutter Co., St. Joseph,

Michigan, under the designation Star Model M-200.

Even using a conventional shade cutting machine, it

is not always possible to cut the roller 12 to an exact fit, Therefore,the cap 14 can be axially ad usted relative to the roller 12 once it iscut, to either legthen or shorten the effective width of the windowshade. This can be done by gripping the section of reduced diameter 18with a pair of pliers and either screwing the cap 14 in or out of theroller 12.

Thus, the present invention provides an end cap or plug 14 adaptable toconventional shade cutting and trimming machines presently used, oftenby inexperienced and unskilled persons, in the cutting and trimming ofconventional wooden rollers having removable gudgeon pins. There isexact interchangability so far as removal of the gudgeon pin and plug isconcerned of the roller assembly herein described and thecurrentlyutilized wooden assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. A window shade roller assembly adapted for use in a standard windowshade cutting machine wherein said machine includes a support basehaving an elongated support and measuring bed for a window shade rollerassembly, means for fixing one end of a window shade assembly to saidbase, a housing for receiving the other end of the assembly mounted onthe opposite end of said support base and having an internal bore, abeveled mouth at the forward end of said internal bore, a retractablechuck mounted within said bore, and means for retracting said chuck;said assembly comprising a tubular roller member having anexternaldiameter larger than the diameter of said bore, an end plug having aperipheral flange having a maximum dimension less than the diameter ofsaid bore, and a minimum dimension greater than the internal diameter ofthe tubular roller member, a gudgeon pin fixed into said plug to projectfron one side thereof externally of said roller member, said plug alsohaving a reduced diameter portion adjustably received within theinterior of said tubular roller member, said reduced diameter portionhaving exterior peripheral projections engaging the inner wall of saidroller member to retain said plug against rotation relative to theroller member at any one of several selected positions of axialadjustment, said chuck being engageable with said gudgeon pin totelescopically axially pull said plug from said roller member as saidchuck is retracted into said bore, any consequent movement of saidroller member being prevented by abutment of the end of said rollermember with the mouth of said housing' 2. The window shade rollerassembly of claim 1 wherein the peripheral projections of said plug ofsaid roller assembly define interrupted helical threads and the plug hasmeans external to said flange for rotating said plug to axially adjustthe position of said plug in said roller member.

3. The window shade roller assembly of claim 2, wherein said end plugincludes a generally eliptical extension, opposite said reduced diameterportion, having opposed flat surfaces permitting receipt of a tool foraxial adjustment of the end plug in said tubular roller member.

1. A window shade roller assembly adapted for use in a standard windowshade cutting machine wherein said machine includes a support basehaving an elongated support and measuring bed for a window shade rollerassembly, means for fixing one end of a window shade assembly to saidbase, a housing for receiving the other end of the assembly mounted onthe opposite end of said support base and having an internal bore, abeveled mouth at the forward end of said internal bore, a retractablechuck mounted within said bore, and means for retracting said chuck;said assembly comprising a tubular roller member having an externaldiameter larger than the diameter of said bore, an end plug having aperipheral flange having a maximum dimension less than the diameter ofsaid bore, and a minimum dimensiOn greater than the internal diameter ofthe tubular roller member, a gudgeon pin fixed into said plug to projectfron one side thereof externally of said roller member, said plug alsohaving a reduced diameter portion adjustably received within theinterior of said tubular roller member, said reduced diameter portionhaving exterior peripheral projections engaging the inner wall of saidroller member to retain said plug against rotation relative to theroller member at any one of several selected positions of axialadjustment, said chuck being engageable with said gudgeon pin totelescopically axially pull said plug from said roller member as saidchuck is retracted into said bore, any consequent movement of saidroller member being prevented by abutment of the end of said rollermember with the mouth of said housing.
 2. The window shade rollerassembly of claim 1 wherein the peripheral projections of said plug ofsaid roller assembly define interrupted helical threads and the plug hasmeans external to said flange for rotating said plug to axially adjustthe position of said plug in said roller member.
 3. The window shaderoller assembly of claim 2, wherein said end plug includes a generallyeliptical extension, opposite said reduced diameter portion, havingopposed flat surfaces permitting receipt of a tool for axial adjustmentof the end plug in said tubular roller member.